Listen to Your Heart
by Sakrea
Summary: Jazz wants a goodbye from Ratchet before he leaves for Earth. Jazz/Ratchet. Spoilers for the 1986 movie. Warnings: Mech kissing, character death.


"Hey Ratch! Hold it!"

The medic smirked, shaking his head lightly as he turned to watch the other mech approach. "You need something?" he asked.

Jazz jogged up to him, a cheeky grin dominating his face plates. "You know I ain't gonna let you leave until you say goodbye."

Ratchet perched his hands on his hips, grinning despite himself as he gave the other mech his best 'oh really' look. "Okay Jazz. Goodbye." He responded, giving him a little wave before setting the hand back on his red hip.

Jazz batted at the hand before it retreated, grinning even as he tried to give the mech a mock-sour look. "You know what I mean."

"Not sure I do." Ratchet replied.

"I want a real goodbye." Jazz said, feigning a pout this time.

To that, Ratchet reached out, grabbed Jazz's hand, and gave it a firm shake. "Goodbye Jazz."

The Special Ops mech jerked his hand away and shot the medic a scowl. "Come on Ratch! I mean it!"

The CMO snorted and grinned back at him. "What's the big deal? I'll just be gone a day or so."

Jazz huffed and seemed to decide his current tactic wasn't working very well. So instead, he reached forward and dragged the medic into a hug.

Ratchet chuckled and wrapped his arms around the slightly smaller mech, pulling him close. "Really, it's just a normal supply run. We're dropping off and picking up some supplies, then we're coming straight back."

Jazz nuzzled his face into the crook of his lover's neck. "I know, Doc… But this time it just feels different…" he sighed. Normally he wasn't a worrier, but when the call came in for a status check for shuttle launch clearance, something had stirred in him. Then, when he found out his favorite medic was going along, he knew he needed to at least see him before he left.

"You're just antsy because the cons have been quiet for a while." Ratchet murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the top of the other's helm. "I'll be fine."

There was a heavy sigh before Jazz looked back up at the medic. "Yeah… You're right. I know you are." He admitted, though it didn't seem to make him any less worried. "But I just wanted to stop by before you took off."

"Hey! Ratchet! We need to leave!" A voice suddenly called from the shuttle's bay doors. Ratchet glanced over to see Ironhide peering out.

"I'm coming! Just gimmie a klik!" The medic called back.

At the quick exchange, Jazz only nestled further against his lover's chest, reluctant to let him leave. "You can't skip out?" he asked softly, his optics looking somewhere to the side.

"Nah, they need me for some reason or another." Ratchet said, shrugging lightly.

Jazz's visor dimmed for several moments before he finally turned his gaze back on the medic's face. "Can I have a real goodbye then?"

Sensing his partner's saddened mood, he gave him a gentle smile. "Of course." He said quietly. He gently gripped Jazz's chin, tilting his face upward to meet his lips.

The kiss lasted several moments, containing a slow burning fire despite its gentle touch. When they pulled away, there was another moment of silence as the two studied each other.

"Ratchet! Get yer aft on the shuttle! We're leaving!"

The medic gave Jazz an apologetic smile, dropping a second brief kiss on his lover's lips. "Gotta go." He said quickly, arms falling away from the embrace.

Jazz was left on the pad, staring after the other's retreating form. The shuttle's door's closed after him, its engine roaring to life behind it.

And then he was gone.

_Listen to your heart_

_ When he's calling for you_

_ Listen to your heart_

_ There's nothing else you can do_

_ I don't know where you're going_

_ And I don't know why_

_ But listen to your heart_

_ Before you tell him goodbye_

It was a long time before anyone could figure out exactly what happened that day. No one knew who was responsible, if it could have been prevented. No one even knew how many died that day.

When Rodimus Prime and the others finally returned to Earth after the defeat of Unicron, a formal investigation and recovery was launched. Naturally, Jazz made sure he was a part of it.

"Primus help them…" Kup murmured, the old mech's face turning to horror as he took his first look into the destroyed control room of the shuttle.

"What is it?" Springer asked, shoving through the hole after him. The green triplechanger froze in his path, his optics staring hard at the same object.

Arcee pulled herself in after them, optics widening as her hand flew to her mouth. "Oh Ironhide…" she murmured, her voice shaking.

Part of him knew that he should care why the three seemed so horrified by what he assumed was Ironhide's corpse. While Jazz did mourn the loss of his friend, his mind was far more drawn to another mech.

When he'd heard of the events at Autobot City, he'd expected the worst. Frag it, he knew the worst. Whatever feeling had pulled at his spark had been begging him to keep his lover behind, to make sure he'd never gotten on that shuttle. If only he'd listened…

Jazz climbed into the ship, easily slipping around the other bots. He forced himself to turn away from the horrible sight of Ironhide's mangled body, moving towards the front of the ship. It didn't take long for two more bodies to come into view.

He froze in shock, feeling a wave of nausea wash over him. Jazz had expected death, he'd expected carnage. But… Seeing it was a whole other thing.

Ratchet's death had been quick, he could see that. His body was undamaged other than his shattered windshield and two burnt holes glaring out of his chest. He lay on his side, his head canted upward just slightly, as if staring up at his lover with darkened optics.

The porsche let himself fall to his knees next to the medic, letting his optics drag over his body, taking in every detail. He bit back a sob, his visor dimming as he bent his head over the medic.

"Goodbye Ratchet…"


End file.
